MIAL Launches First Of Its Kind Vertical Axis Wind & Solar System

Mumbai International Airport, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) has become India’s first airport to launch a one-of-its-kind Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT) & Solar PV hybrid (Solar Mill) to explore the possibility of utilization of wind energy at the airport.

CSMIA has introduced this pilot program in collaboration with WindStream Energy Technologies India Pvt Ltd, which ensures 24/7 energy generation, harnessing maximum energy through wind power systems, while enabling a highly efficient and low carbon future for aviation.

Thus, to assist in enhancing capacity usage of green energy, Mumbai International Airport has deployed a 10Kwp Hybrid Solar Mill consisting of 2 Kwp TurboMill (3 Savonious type VAWT) and 8 Kwp Solar PV modules with an estimated minimum energy generation of 36 Kwh/day.

Windstream Energy Technologies India Pvt Ltd has developed this fully integrated hybrid renewable energy product which harnesses solar and wind energy combined to generate electricity.

The manufacturer claims that this plant requires bare minimum maintenance of installation, unlike any other machines for electrical supply, where load & batteries are attached to the system. In FY 21-22, CSMIA used 9.41 MU of renewal (Solar and wind) power, which includes onsite solar power generation of 5.46 MU and wind power of around 3.94 MU.

CSMIA aims to replicate the project to increase the onsite renewal power generation in the coming years.

In FY 21-22, CSMIA used 9.41 MU of renewal (Solar and wind) power, which includes onsite solar power generation of 5.46 MU and wind power of around 3.94 MU. Thus, usage of solar and wind power has reduced ~7400 tCO2e emissions at the airport. CSMIA aims to replicate the project to increase the onsite renewal power generation in the coming years.

CSMIA over the years has envisaged several sustainable innovations and projects such as green building designs, operational measures like A-CDM, electrically operated vehicles, and increasing renewable energy generation from 0 – 4.56 Mwp, to name a few. These initiatives have propelled CSMIA to become a carbon-neutral airport by achieving ACA Level 3+ “NEUTRALITY” in 2016-17. CSMIA continues to bring in new and advanced sustainable practices timely to further boost the operational efficiency of the airport in a green way and endeavors to achieve ‘Net Zero’ carbon emission by 2029.

India seems to be setting an informal target of 2030 to make its airports net zero, and 2024 to ensure they are mostly powered by renewable energy, as per a report on SaurEnergy today.